"Too often today, people are ready to tell us, 'this is not possible; that is not possible'. I say, whatever the true interest of our country calls for, is always possible!"

- Enoch Powell.

Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Pakistani TV executive who set up pro-Muslim station in the U.S. goes on trial accused of beheading his wife

Jurors are set to begin hearing the case of a television executive from Pakistan charged with beheading his wife soon after she filed for divorce.
Opening statements in the second-degree murder trial of Muzzammil Hassan are scheduled to start today in Erie County Court in Buffalo.
The 46-year-old Hassan is accused of stabbing and decapitating Aasiya Hassan, 37, in 2009 inside the studios of Bridges TV.

Standing trial: Muzzammil Hassan (right) is accused of stabbing and decapitating his wife Aasiva (left) in February 2009

The Pakistan-born couple founded the station to counter negative images of Muslims after 9/11.she was 'too westernised' Hassan's lawyer Jeremy Schwartz - the accused's fourth attorney since the case began- has said he may use a battered spouse defence.

On the stand: Muzzamil Hassan's trial for allegedly beheading his wife begins today

But in divorce papers signed six days before she died, Aasiya Hassan says she was the one who was abused.
Police have said they responded to several domestic violence calls at the couple's arrest but no arrests were ever made.
Jury selection for the trial took a week as 285 potential applicants were whittled down to a final 16, with the process hampered by media attention on the case.
Hassan’s lawyer told CNN he is confident his client will receive a fair trial.
‘We will try to choose people for the jury that are going to strictly abide by the judge’s instructions,’ he added
‘But we understand that this [story] is everywhere, there is a Buffalo News article today and they’ve all had access to all of that.’
It has been claimed in a local newspaper bythe victim’s family that her husband had begun another relationship and had ‘taunted’ his spouse about his new lover.
While Hassan founded Bridges TV, his wife had served as the station's general manager after its 2004 launch.
The network, available across the U.S. and Canada, was believed to be the first English-language cable station aimed at the rapidly growing Muslim demographic.